


Lapdog

by JamesAeza



Series: Lapdog verse [1]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Abandonment, Angst, Bathing/Washing, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders Needs a Hug, Dogs, Fluff, Gen, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, in a very much sfw way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:59:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27567868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JamesAeza/pseuds/JamesAeza
Summary: Remus can't take care of himself with both Virgil and Janus gone. He's just about at his wits' end, before he has an idea- Patton's a bleeding heart. If he goes in as something with soft fur, maybe they'll even like him.
Relationships: Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders & Everyone
Series: Lapdog verse [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2044504
Comments: 24
Kudos: 123





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inspiration finally hit and the inspiration wanted Remus as a dog. I do as the inspiration guides, so I hope you like this too.
> 
> Very loosely inspired by No One Left Behind by Beautiful_Doom, but I obviously took a pretty different direction. 
> 
> Guys this is so much fluff I can't.

Remus was not having a good time. 

It took a lot to admit that, actually. He was the duke, he wasn’t supposed to care if he was covered in grime and hadn’t eaten or had a good night’s sleep in months. That was not meant to be for him- it was meant to be for his obnoxious bratty brother. 

He talked a big game, but truth be told, alone for months with nothing but what he could summon, he could have been better. As the embodiment of all things nasty and gross, the list of things he himself could summon were… limited. He’d had help, before. He’d had Virgil and Janus, and then just Janus. But now he was completely alone.

He sighed, barely able to believe that he was truly considering his last-resort plan.

Lucky for him he wasn’t his brother. Roman never would have been able to swallow enough pride to do what he was about to do. 

He grunted as he forced his form to change. This wasn’t the easiest transformation, but shifting had always come pretty naturally to him. Not like for Logan, who often had trouble imagining what he wanted to look like and changing back afterwards.

Anyway, that was hardly relevant. Because he was a big Rottweiler, and the ‘light sides’ were saps. He couldn’t help but wonder about how they might react.

He had to admit, he hadn't been expecting Patton to start squealing this loudly. 

“Oh my God, you are so cute!” Remus cocked his head in confusion as Patton buried his hands in the mangy fur, scratching his neck. 

When Remus shifted into dog form he must have shifted at least part of his brain too, because the touch felt better than it ever should have and his tail started thumping of its own accord. Patton giggled. “Oh, you’re all yucky, aren’t you? Why don’t we get you a bath and some food?”

He felt a small surge of pride upon knowing that he’d been right. These idiots wouldn’t be capable of turning away a dog very clearly in need of help. Though it was strange how willingly Patton had touched him- he soaked it in, more than aware that no one wanted to touch him as a person. He couldn’t help but wonder how long it would last. 

“Come on, boy.” He trotted after Patton, following him out the door and flopping down in the warm grass. This was certainly nicer than where he lived, but hey, when you had good creativity, why wouldn’t your home be nice?

“Alright, this might be a little chilly.”

He let out a little yelp when the cold water first touched him, but he got used to it fast, trying to drink the water directly out of the hose (much to Patton’s amusement.) He could feel the dirt coming off in rivulets, and it was an amazing, albeit unfamiliar feeling. 

He wasn’t paying much attention before he noticed that Roman had joined them outside. He felt himself tense up. If anyone would be able to see through his trickery, it was his brother. 

But then again, Roman had never cared much to understand him, so he wasn’t too surprised when he just handed Patton a bottle of dog shampoo before approaching him. He stepped away on instinct, and much to his surprise, Roman stepped back. Whether it was out of consideration or fear, though, he wasn’t sure. After all, a Rottweiler could tear a person to shreds. 

Remus didn’t plan on it. Annoying as Roman was, he didn't necessarily want him in shreds. If he did, he would have put Roman through a paper shredder by now. Wouldn’t that be funny?

He was pulled out of his thoughts as he felt Patton’s shampoo-covered hands reach into his mangy pelt and start scrubbing. It didn’t take him long to notice that the shampoo was strawberry-scented. He wrinkled his nose as much as he could in this form, stepping back. He immediately returned, however, upon seeing how upset Patton looked.

What could he say? A sad Patton could break even the most hardened criminal.

He let a huffy breath out of his nose as Patton worked. As la-di-da as the scent was, he could feel himself getting cleaner than he’d been in years. 

He hadn’t been sure if he’d like it. He knew he shouldn’t. But god, was it an amazing feeling. He could indulge, if only for a while. He was sure Thomas would be happy to get a break from him. 

As he felt the cool water rinse the rest of the soap out and Patton turned off the hose, he immediately jumped to his feet and shook. Something he was happy to do in either human or dog form, and he successfully got Roman very wet. 

God, he’d been sitting still for so long. He shook again, before careening across the yard and back. Then he did it again. A good run was good for him, whatever form he might have been in. 

When he was finished with his running, he skidded to a halt in front of the door, where Patton was waiting with a towel to finish the job. Besides a bit of fidgeting, he let Patton dry him easily before bounding into the house. He barked his approval upon noticing that the front door had already been upgraded to have a pet door just big enough for him to fit through. 

Looking around on the inside, he could see that Roman was talking to Logan, and Logan was shaking his head seemingly in disapproval. He paused a minute, sitting on the ground to hear what the two were saying. 

“Roman, I care for Patton as much as you do, but can we really accommodate a dog right now? We all have a lot going on.”

“How much work could he be? I’m sure Patton would take care of most of it.”

Remus had had enough of that silly conversation, so he halted it the best way he knew how- tackling Logan and licking his face and neck. He’d admittedly wanted to do that for awhile, it was just socially acceptable now that he was an animal. 

Panting from the attack, he stepped back to give Logan a little room to breathe. Logan quickly wiped off his face, got to his feet, and hesitantly stated: “I suppose you have a point, Roman. We can just… try keeping him and see how it goes.”

Remus yipped before spinning in a circle a few times. The dog instincts were kicking in, but he wasn’t fighting them. This was, to put it lightly, amazing. 

He continued spinning around as the others moved to another room to go talk, before catapulting himself up onto the sofa and walking in a circle three times before flopping down, shutting his eyes. He had possibly overestimated how much energy he had, then used it all up. 

Remus didn’t know he’d fallen asleep until he woke to the feeling of a hand petting him. His head perked up though he didn’t need to look to know it was Patton. They weren’t lying when they said dogs had a superior sense of smell. 

When he saw Patton had a blue collar with a red tag, his first thought was, of course,  _ kinky _ . Until he reminded himself that he was, in fact, an actual dog, and looked up to read the tag. 

_ Baloo _

_ If found, please return to  _

_ Patton Sanders _

_ 555-4102 _

He looked at it, then up at Patton, and didn’t move as Patton put it on him. 

_ Baloo.  _

It was a good name, he decided. Good enough, though these doofuses  _ would  _ choose a Disney name. Ironic, as he’d only come here for help with the bare necessities, like food and a place to sleep.

Speaking of which, he was hungry. He could feel (and hear) his belly rumbling under him. 

“Aw, you hungry, buddy?” Patton was scratching behind his ears again, and as Patton dropped a kiss to his head, he couldn’t help but wonder if he’d be able to get by five minutes without Patton touching him.

Not that he was complaining.

“Baloo?”

He could instantly smell the delicious thing that was coming from the same area as Logan’s voice, and he quickly jumped up to pursue it. As he entered the room, he could see that there was meat in a bowl on the floor. 

Pride forgotten, his nose was deep into the food within seconds, all three of the others watching affectionately. He finished quickly, licking the remnants off his nose. “Good boy,” Logan stated in that completely calm and stoic voice, and  _ oh God.  _

He actually felt  _ owned  _ (in a way that didn’t make him horny, oddly enough) and it was an incredible feeling. He felt almost sad knowing he’d have to let this go. Hopefully later rather than sooner. 

He quickly finished almost all of the water that Logan gave him (unfortunately, drinking straight from the hose had not been successful) before flopping down in a satisfied heap. Even if this incredible dream ended here and now, he’d cherish the memory for the rest of his life.

Lucky for him, though, it didn’t end yet. Instead, Roman coaxed him to his feet, leading him to a cage in the next room, where he flopped down asleep. He didn’t really care that it was a cage right now, just that it was soft and he could  _ sleep.  _ And he did.

There was no one there when he woke up. Just an empty living room, and the dark. 

And he was in a cage. 

No, no, no. This would not do at all. He tried pawing at the latch, but it didn’t take long to realize it was a fruitless venture. 

He looked around carefully, making sure he was truly alone. Then, just for one second, he shifted back into human form, unlocking the door and immediately changing back. 

Back to being Baloo, he pawed the door open, sniffing his way down the hallway. Who should he go and bother? He got more than enough pets from Patton, and he wasn’t interested in hugs with Roman. But Logan? Imagine if he could actually get physical affection from that man. He doubted it was possible, but he could try. 

Nosing Logan’s door open, he quietly stepped inside, before taking a running start and launching himself onto the bed, rousing Logan from his restful sleep. Logan shoved on his glasses, seeming to be still pleasantly sleepy. “Ah, Baloo, I thought you were meant to be in your cage-

He was interrupted by Remus snuggling up right next to his chest, giving his face one lick for good measure.

“Well, I suppose you are clean…” was the last thing Logan said before he drifted off.

Remus’s last waking thought? What would Virgil and Janus think when they inevitably found out? After all, they were living here now, weren’t they?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We love whumping Remus on this here ao3 account 
> 
> Also. I am getting my Secret Santa fic request on Wednesday, and I am both excited and incredibly nervous. Pray for me and pray that the person I write for will like the fic, if they don't I might have to cry. 
> 
> Anyway, I really hope you like this second chapter! A lot of people said they'd be down to read more, so there is more. Little bit more angsty this time.

Virgil rubbed at his eyes as he let himself out of his room, on his way to the kitchen. Patton liked when they all came for breakfast, and who was he to deny such a simple pleasure?

Today, though, seemed to be different. Patton was in the kitchen cooking, as usual. Logan was seated at the table with a book and a mug of coffee, as usual. Roman was talking at Patton about something or other, and Patton was listening as he worked. 

But today, there was a big and highly energetic dog jumping around at everyone’s feet.

“...what?” was all he managed to force out. 

Upon hearing his voice, the dog, slipping a little on the hard floor, tried to hide behind Patton’s legs, letting out a muffled whimper. Patton looked down at the dog, then up at Virgil in alarm. 

Virgil had finally gained his bearings enough to speak. “...Why is there a dog in our house?”

Patton crouched down, petting the dog in an attempt to calm him before addressing Virgil. “We found him yesterday. You were in your room at the time, so we figured we’d tell you today. And…” Patton looked down into the dog’s face. “Unless you really, really don’t want to- I’d like to keep him.”

There was absolutely zero chance of Virgil saying no to the pure sadness and longing in Patton’s voice. A dog might make him a little more nervous, but it was nothing he couldn’t handle. Because right now, it was clear that Patton needed this. A lot. He had so much love to give, and his family didn’t always want to accept it all. 

The dog continued to whimper, stepping away from Virgil, who chose to ignore that, gingerly sitting down at the table. “He… um.. What’s his name?”

“Baloo,” Roman cut in, and Virgil snorted at the fact that they’d chosen the name of a Disney character. He glanced at Logan, who nodded.

“I did approve the name. And I feel that having an animal around may not be… strictly unpleasant.”

Virgil stifled a laugh. Logan was as taken as the rest of them. 

Looking back down at the floor, he could see that the nervous dog was coming closer to him. That was… admittedly a little stressful, considering how aggressive that particular breed could be. He slowly held out a hand, allowing Baloo’s big wet nose to take in his scent. 

There was something familiar in the way the dog moved, but he was quick to brush it off as yet another paranoid thought. Very hesitantly, he reached in to scratch him, and very hesitantly, the dog allowed it. Virgil let a slight smile dust his features, despite a lingering uneasiness he couldn’t place. 

It didn’t matter. This was for Patton. 

Baloo didn’t take long to find solace in leaning on Logan, something Virgil could understand. Logan was a very solid presence. He sat back in his chair, a little surprised and upset that Patton’s dog seemed so afraid of him.

Remus sighed softly. That had been close- he’d been terrified his cover was blown, and it would surely be even more difficult to conceal from the personification of deception. 

Well, he might as well keep enjoying it, seeing as it could be gone any second. 

When Janus walked in the room, though, he wasn’t sure if he should jump on him or run and hide. The result ended up being slowly stepping back while growling lightly. 

“Hey! We don’t growl!”

Patton’s words were quick to shut him up. It was odd, he thought, how Patton played his innocent role perfectly, but could take control with just a few words. 

Janus just looked confused. “I...can’t say I understand.”

Logan stepped in to clarify. “Patton found the dog just yesterday, he’s really quite friendly and we’d like to keep him unless you have any very strong objections.”

“I don’t mind.”

“Yay!”

Next thing Remus knew he was wrapped in a big soft hug from Patton. Wiggling a little, the best way he could think to express his happiness was to lick Patton. Patton quickly kissed his head in return. Janus rolled his eyes a little, but no one could deny that Patton’s happiness was contagious. 

“Hey Roman?”

“Yes Padre?”

“Do you think maybe you could take him for a walk in the imagination after you eat?”

Roman lit up, seemingly excited at the suggestion. “I’d love to!” Remus jumped to his feet, barking loudly to show that he appreciated that idea even more than Roman did. 

Patton grinned before pulling a bit of a face. “Just… try to keep him away from Remus, ‘kay? I think we all know he can be a little… destructive.”

And Remus’s good mood was gone as fast as it had come. What he’d already known to be true had been confirmed. Baloo was liked, maybe even loved, and Remus was tolerated at best. 

Sadly, he placed his head on Logan’s lap, the only person who hadn’t left him, didn’t hate him, and he hadn’t heard talk poorly of him. At least not yet. 

Roman had put him on a leash, which he couldn’t say he was happy about, but there wasn’t much he could do about it. He made up for it by giving Roman a hard time. Pulling constantly, smelling everything, and trying to bite through the leash. 

When he looked up at Roman’s face, he was expecting to see the annoyance or disdain that he was so used to being sent in his direction. Instead, Roman looked how he did when he quietly watched Virgil, or when Patton did something especially cute. 

Fondness. Adoration. 

Instead of making him happy, like it should have, all it did was make him wish for what he could never have. For anyone to  _ actually  _ look at him that way. All of him. 

He was more subdued for the rest of the walk, and Roman was left to wonder if he did something wrong. 

The next couple of days were just as amazing as the first. He actually had food, he was sleeping with Logan (ha) and he had free reign of the house and yard, as well as daily walks. No one had brought up Remus the human since that first time, and he wasn’t sure if he was grateful or if it made him feel horrible. 

In fact, it was nearly a month before he heard his name again. 

He’d been asleep on the sofa at the time (after a bit of arguing, it had been decided that with regular baths he would be allowed on the furniture) when he heard voices nearby. It sounded like Roman and Virgil were talking, though he couldn’t be certain. 

“I dunno, it just seems weird. His side of the imagination hasn’t changed at all in what feels like forever. No explosions, no natural disasters, no declaring war on my side.”

That made Remus lift his head a bit.

“Sounds like he’s finally figured out what’s good for him. Look, Thomas has been feeling better, hell, I’ve been feeling better. Whatever he’s doing can’t be too bad.”

“But what if it’s something that’s affecting him badly, so he can’t do his job anymore?”

“Would that really be such a bad thing? I mean, all he does is make Thomas think things that make him upset.”

Roman sighed, sounding somewhat defeated. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

That was all Remus needed to hear, jumping to his feet and moving more silently than he ever had before. 

Stumbling back into his room in the darkside, he let out one long, blood-curdling scream as he shifted back to being human. Then he went completely silent, allowing his thoughts to consume him for the first time in so long.

He sighed as he shut the door behind him. The room felt static and lonely compared to what he’d allowed himself to grow used to. He slowly sat down on the bed, teeth worrying at his lip as he thumbed at the collar still wrapped around his neck.

The sleepless nights returned, horrific thoughts plaguing him in a way they hadn’t since he’d gone to live with the light sides.

This should be his normal. He’d let himself be spoiled, and now he had to undo that because this was as good as his life was going to get. Ever again. 

He wasn’t sure how long it was before he heard a knocking at his door. Confused and not allowing himself to be hopeful, he slowly swung it open. 

Janus and Virgil. Were there. He felt himself flood with emotion. Had they actually come back for him? Finally remembered that he physically couldn’t take care of himself? Had they been sent?

All of those thoughts were quickly broken when Janus spoke. “We’re looking for a dog. Big, brown and black. Have you seen him?”

Remus stood there, staring, slowly allowing rage to overtake him. Why did things have to be this way? Why couldn’t he be worthy of love the way he was?

He could have very easily said that he hadn’t seen Baloo, and then he’d be alone for the rest of his life the way he should be. Unloved, lonely,  _ sad. _ But he didn’t want to. There was something in him that told him to hurt them, hurt them like he’d been hurt. 

So he did. What else could he do right, anyway? 

“Yes. I’ve know where your stupid dog is. And you’ll never see him again,” he snarled before slamming the door in two very confused faces.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops this might be a lil ooc but I wasn't sure what else to do so you get to read it.

The next god knew how long was peppered with knocks, calls, desperately asking him where their dog was and what he wanted for him. Remus was not having any of it. The only response they got was screeched threats and maniacal laughter. 

That was, until he heard a certain voice.

Forever calm, forever stoic, rather than asking for Baloo, just a quiet, “Remus, are you alright?”

He was swinging the door open before he could even start to think. He paused, stock-still for a second, staring into Logan’s calm, pretty face, and lost any self control he might ever have had. 

It should have been embarrassing, though Remus doubted he still had the capacity to feel embarrassed when he started sobbing right then and there. 

Logan just stood there more confused than he’d ever felt as the embodiment of crude and intrusive thoughts stood in front of him bawling his eyes out. 

He slowly reached out, gently placing a hand on the other man’s arm, and Remus fell forward, burying his face in his shoulder. Logan, racking his brain for the information he was sure he had, raised a hand and carefully started rubbing his back, only bringing more tears. 

Someone was  _ holding  _ him, letting him cry on them. Why, was beyond him. The thought didn’t do much for his current state. 

It felt like ages before he finally ran out of tears, stepping back from Logan and trying to form words, though he had no idea what to say. Logan noticed that and slowly guided him back into his room, still sniffling and hiccuping. Logan handed him a glass of water, seating him on the bed, and he tried to drink it but found himself choking a little. 

“It’s okay, slow down,” Logan suggested, and one more heart-wrenching sob made its way past his lips.

“I can’t help but feel as if we’ve done something wrong.”

Remus let out a watery, humorless laugh, trying again to sip at the water. His eyes followed Logan’s as they moved to the small stand near the bed, on which Baloo’s collar lay. He sighed. “I know you’re here for the dog. But I stand by what I said. You’re not getting him back. Ever.”

Logan sighed. “I thought you might say that. At the very least, could you tell us if he’s safe?”

Remus sniffed, holding back another sob. “No. He isn't. He can’t eat, he can’t sleep, he’s-” he paused as a hiccup broke the words. “He’s  _ hurting.  _ All the time.”

There was a long silence, and then Logan whispered, “I think I understand.”

Remus looked up at him cautiously, and Logan slowly picked up the collar from the little table. Long, cold fingers secured it around Remus’s neck and he took a deep breath, nodding desperately. He wanted to shift, but now didn’t feel like the time. Logan carefully wiped his face before standing and offering a hand. “I think we have some talking to do. With everyone.”

Remus sighed, pushing away his fear and taking Logan’s hand, getting to his feet. 

Logan led Remus into the room where all the others were waiting, Remus trying to hide behind him and keep himself from crying again. Logan helped him sit down on one of the seats, and one by one, understanding dawned on the others’ faces as they noticed the collar he hadn’t yet removed. There was still some element of confusion to most of them- but to Janus and Virgil, the truth was painfully clear. 

Logan broke the uncomfortable silence first. “I think that we should give Remus a chance to explain, and then we can react in a _calm_ _way._ ” The last bit was clearly directed at Roman and at Virgil. 

“Okay, um..” Remus started in, and it was almost painful how tiny and broken he looked. None of them had ever seen him like this before, even at his worst. Logan supposed abandonment could do things to a person. 

“I… I can’t summon things very well. Like food. And I can’t sleep alone. And I just… I wasn’t doing well. And I saw a chance, and maybe I shouldn’t have lied to you, but- I don’t regret it.”

He finished, slowly looking up to gauge the reactions. Everyone looked… to put it frankly, horrified. He started to get to his feet, more than ready to leave, go back, but Logan stopped him with a hand on his leg. He gave Logan a withering glare before Patton spoke.

“I… gosh, I guess we really messed up, didn’t we?”

Remus’s head snapped over to Patton, who was playing nervously with his sweater. “Even if we don’t always… see eye to eye, you didn’t deserve that.”

Remus was left nearly speechless, but that didn’t matter, because Roman cut in, staring at the ground. “I.... I noticed something was wrong, but- I ignored it. And I’m sorry I did that. Because even if we’re polar opposites, when push comes to shove, you’re my brother. And I shouldn’t have let myself forget that.”

Roman still wasn’t making eye contact, but the words meant more to Remus than anything else ever could. Roman being able to let go of enough pride to really and truly apologize was something Remus never thought he’d witness. 

Janus sighed, noting that it was clearly his turn and turning to Remus. “I don’t think I have the right words for this. I knew you couldn’t do those things, couldn’t handle yourself, but I was so focused on the things that were happening to me, that I’d waited so long for. But that shouldn’t have come at your expense. Remus, you don’t ever have to forgive me, and I don’t know if you ever should, but I am sorry.”

Little did Janus know that he’d already been forgiven.

Virgil still seemed to be in a bit of a shocked state, but managed to get out: “...what he said.”

Logan finally took over the conversation again, his voice a comforting sound by now. “We wished to extend an invitation to live here. With us. No light or dark, just Thomas. And at least I, if not the others as well, am more than happy to take care of you in human form or whatever animal form you prefer.”

It only took a nod of assent from each person for Remus to shift himself right back into dog form, tail bouncing to some unknown, frantic rhythm, hyper energy back, and attack everyone with sloppy dog kisses. 

**Author's Note:**

> There may or may not be more chapters but I really kinda love dog Remus.  
> (If anyone knows of any fanart surrounding the concept of Remus being a dog. Please. I beg of you. I must see it.)  
> Anyway, please tell me what you thought!


End file.
